The most viewed presidential debates in TV history

Ronald Reagan-Jimmy Carter

On Oct. 28, 1980, 45.8 million households were tuned to the debate between incumbent Jimmy Carter and Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the most households to ever watch a presidential debate, according to Nielsen data. That number represented 56.7% of all households in the U.S., the largest percentage to tune in to any debate. The audience was concentrated because that was the only televised debate between the two, coming just a week before the election.

Reuters

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Bill Clinton-H. Ross Perot-George H.W. Bush

The Oct. 15, 1992, debate between Democrat Bill Clinton, independent H. Ross Perot and Republican incumbent George H.W. Bush, the second of three debates that year, captured 43.1 million households, 45% of the nation. The third debate on Oct. 19 (left) drew 42.1 million.

Reuters

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John Kerry-George W. Bush

The first debate between Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry and incumbent President George W. Bush on Sept. 30, 2004, hauled in 43 million households, 38.4% of the total audience. The third debate, in Tempe, Ariz., on Oct. 13 (left) brought in 36.3 million households. All together, the three Bush-Kerry debates drew 112 million households, the largest total for a series of presidential encounters.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

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Walter Mondale-Ronald Reagan

Just over 39 million households tuned into the Oct. 21, 1984, debate between Democratic candidate Walter Mondale and incumbent President Ronald Reagan. Their earlier debate on Oct. 7 in Louisville, Ky., (left) drew 38.5 million households.

Library of Congress

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Jimmy Carter-Gerald Ford

Democratic challenger Jimmy Carter and incumbent President Gerald Ford squared off in the first of three debates on Sept. 23, 1976. That debate drew the largest viewership at 38 million households.

Reuters

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Robert Dole-Bill Clinton

TV viewers got all they wanted out of Republican challenger Robert Dole and incumbent President Bill Clinton on Oct. 6, 1996, in the pair’s first debate (above). When the second debate came around on Oct. 16, just 25.3 million households tuned in, the lowest total of 23 televised debates between 1960 and 2004.

Reuters

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George W. Bush-Al Gore

The Oct. 17, 2000, debate between Republican candidate George W. Bush and Democratic Vice President Al Gore did not inspire Americans to tune in. With just 25% of U.S. households bothering to look, it became the lowest rated presidential debate in history.

National Park Service

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John Kennedy-Richard Nixon

The first televised presidential debate was Sept. 26, 1960, when Sen. John Kennedy squared off against Vice President Richard Nixon. While it only drew 28.1 million households, that represented more than 53% of all U.S. households at the time. The four debates rank 1, 2, 3 and 5 all time in terms of Nielsen ratings, with only the Reagan-Carter debate horning in at No. 4.

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Barack Obama-Mitt Romney

President Barack Obama will meet Republican challenger Mitt Romney Wednesday in the first of three televised debates, set to air at 9 p.m. Eastern from Denver.

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